Ski spreader



M. KURTZ SKI SPREADER Filed Oct. 15, 1940 r .W i INVENTOR MAX uerz A I ORNEY Patented Au 31, 1943 v a *QFFw W I. snrsranapna J Max Kurtz, New York, N. .Y., assignor to Max Kurtz and Joseph. M. Ross, jointly, both of New York, N. Y.

Application October 15, 1940, Serial No. 361,201

1 Claim. (01. 280-1137) This invention relate to devices for spreading and clamping the tips ofskis for maintaining the bend of said tips.

When'skis are out of use, it is the practice to place them in pairs in bottom to'bottom relation and to clamp them together in that relation. The tips of the skis, howeverpare bent away from i each other and being unsupported, frequently flatten and change shape because the curvature of bend was initially artificially produced.

It is desirable, therefore, to provide means for counteracting this tendency of the ski tips to re sume their initial natural form and tomaintain the provided curvature of said tips. To this end, i the invention contemplates a simple and novel form of spreader clamp engageable with both tips of apair of skis in the above-mentioned relation, for clamping said tips duringstorage of the skis. A y

The invention further contemplates the provi- 1 sion of a spreader clamp. for ski tips which is adjustable for universal use and which is articulatepositely threaded screw seats for the oppositely threadedscrews l0. Each screw I is preferably provided withan eye II in the usual manner.

The turnbuckle thus formed, by means of the.

,pair of clamp plates l3 and I4, held together as by means of bolts l5 and nuts l6; and maintained in spaced relation by springs ll strung on said bolts.

The clamp plates I3 and Mare preferably formed as elongated flat members disposed transversely to the turnbuckle so that the entire device is generally H-shaped. Thus, as related to a i pair otskis, the clamping units] are disposed in ly formed to render it applicable to any desired point along the ski tips to obtain the proper.

clamping position; The design and arrangement of the constructional details of the spreader also form a material part of this invention, being characterized by simplicity and low cost of manufacture.

The foregoing objects, features, and advantages, and others later apparent, will be more clearly evident from the following disclosure of the invention in which the exemplified embodi- Fig. 4is a. detail view of one end of another clamp element. When stored and out of use, the skis 5 are placedin the bottom to bottom relation shown in the plane of the width of the skis and the turn buckle,.between and transverse thereto.

Asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, the clamp plates l3 may each be formed of two identical parts secured to each other as by welding, riveting, or

Fig. 1. and clamped together in various ways such as indicated at C. The tips 6 of the skis, thus are divergently curved and unsupported. Inorder to maintain the desired curvature of the tips 6, the invention contemplates the provision of afdevice comprising essentially a turnbuckle l and the clamping units 8.

The turnbuckle I1 is of conventional design,

the like as at l8 where angularly bent portions of said parts abut. The latter portions, in this instance also provide ears I! which engage the rivet l2 carried by the screw eye H.

Fig. 3 shows the clamp plate [3a as formed of one integral piece, the ears Illa. being struck from the clamp plate and angularly bent,

The bolts l5 are preferablyc arriage bolts being formed with a polygonal, preferably square, porof the wing type so they may be hand-manipulated to provide for the exertion of considerable pressure.

As shown at 22and 23 of Figs. 1 and 2, and at 24 of Fig. 3the clamp plates l3 and. M are preferably provided with compressible sleeve members to obviate direct contact between said clamp plates and the skis.

In use, the ski tips 6 are slipped between the clampiplates l3 and I4 to any desired points thereof and locked into place by means of the wind nuts I6.- The turnbuckleis then manipulated to hold and maintain said ski tips in a desired position with. respect;to the skis. If desired, the tips may be forced beyond their normal cation of the clamp units.

clamp units may conceivably be nearer the ex-.

curvature to allow for a slight relaxing or straightening when the clamp is removed.

It will be notedthat the articulation of the device at the pivot rivets l2, permits proper 10- Thus, one of the treme tip of the ski than the other and yet both clamping units will properly clamp the'ski tips and be normal tot'he po'rtionsengaged: thereby;

From the above itis evident theta novel (and efiicient clampingdevice for ski tips has been provided. Since many changes in the details and arrangement within the spirit and scope of the invention'may well be made, I do not wish to be limited by the exact details and arrangement shown and described in this disclosure.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A ski spreading device of the character described comprising a pair of clamping units, each clamping unit comprising a pair of plates, means for moving said platestowards each other'into- 

